Monday, January 12, 2015

The Slingers Saga 3-5 by Matt Wallace.

If you like: rowdy fights * a group with nothing left to lose * indies

The Slingers Saga is finished in parts 3-5 of the series. (See my review of parts 1 and 2 here.) Faced with new starters after the loss of their teammates, the Reapers must struggle with grief, training, stress, and the truth that is being revealed about Gee-ring. The stakes are ever higher, and yet the slightly irreverent tone remains ingrained in the narrative.The matches and training are a strong part of the series. The play-by-play of all the action will stir you as though you were in the arena, and you might even experience an audible gasp as another slinger you have come to know tumbles over the edge. The preparations they meticulously perform before a match mirrors those that athletes of every level will recognize. They feel the clawing anxiety of what may come. The zen that is achieved by accepting this is there, too. Teammates build deep bonds that are usually only seen in families or groups of lifelong friends. These may lead to all sorts of feelings, but a strong team is always able to work through. The Reapers will do anything for each other, and often don’t even need an explanation to be there and do whatever it takes. The core of the Reapers have an unspoken trust. This trust is put to the test when they use all of their training in order to stop attempts to exploit the bowels of the station and use the arena as a weaponized vessel.The Slingers Saga is much more than a story about gladiators battling in space to avoid falling to their doom. It is about seeking something beyond the cards that life has dealt you. It is about being able to trust and rely on someone else. It is about the euphoria that comes with a team win. It is also about the shared grief at a loss, especially when a life is on the line. More than that, it is a story of corruption and greed. In Slingers, the good guys step up, and fight the bad guys against all odds. They are the heroes we always want, able to perform feats of strength without ever stopping their quippy commentary. When reading the Slingers Saga, you feel like you are part of that cool group of friends you always wished for, and that each winking aside is just for you. The story at the core is solid. Each segment is the right length to read in a sitting. There is the perfect mix of humor and drama, serious conflict and light-hearted sparring. If you would dare to cross the red line, read Slingers.Matt Wallace. Slingers -The Victim Hold. 2014. Kindle edition.Matt Wallace. Slingers - Where Gods Cannot See. 2014. Kindle edition.Matt Wallace. Slingers - Savage Weapons. 2014. Kindle edition.

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Valerie K. Jones is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

After graduation from Marist College in 2006, I began working as a transaction analyst at National Quality Review. I now work in both the processing and correspondence departments there. Outside of the office, I cannot get enough of books, especially sci-fi and horror, and I muse about what I read at If You Like Books. I have also been an avid knitter since 2005, and recently began publishing my own designs. You can find me in the fiber world as ValerieKnits.